Michael a



(No Model.)

No. 319,846. Patented June 9, 1885.

15117-9116 I fiflfi; H a

N. PETERS Photo-Lithographer. Wuhingtnn. n.0-

proved fifthwheel.

Ilnrrn STATES MICHAEL A. PIGOTT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SSPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,846, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed November 26, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL A. PIGOTT, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fifth-Wheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the perch-clip. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improved fifth-wheel when constructed for use on heavy wagons. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5 5, Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a detail view.

My invention relates to a fifth-wheel of improved construction; and it consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the upper part or upper member, and B the lower part or lower member, of the wheel, which are either semicircular in form, as shown in Fig. 1, (which is the form preferred for buggies) or circular, as shown in Fig. 4., (which is the form preferred for wagons.) They are dovetailed together, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, one part having a feather or rib, O, fitting in a channel between flanges D on the other part, and thus the two members are held together Without the use of a kingbolt. Even where the parts A and B are circular, the rib and flanges only extend halfway around, for otherwise the two parts or members could not be put together.

A and B represent plates formed upon or secured to the parts A B, respectively, upon the former of which the head-block I rests, and is held by lugs or projections I and bolts I, and the other plate rests upon the axlehed J, and is held there by projections J, formed thereon, plates J and nuts J and the middle of the plate preferably has a teat, J that fits in a recess in the axle-bed.

On one of the parts A B, or one of the plates A B, is a projection, 'L, having a tapering socket to receive the conical body Nof a clip, N, that has arms N between which the front end of the perch O fits and is held.

There is a great advantage in this manner of connecting the perch to the fifth-wheel, in that it (the perch) is never twisted by one of the wheels of the vehicle passing over an obstruction, which is the case every time one of the wheels passes over an obstruction with the old rigid manner of attachment. Each time one of the wheels goes over an obstruction the body N of the clip will turn in the socket, if it is a rear wheel, or the projection will turn on the body of the clip (see Fig. 6) if it should be a front wheel,'that passes over the obstruction. By making the socket tapering and the body of the clip also tapering or conical, a tight fit is always insured as the parts wear, to prevent rattling.

For buggies Iprefer to form the projection L on one of the parts A B, (see Figs. 1 and 3;) but for heavy wagons I prefer to form it on one of the plates A B. (See Fig. 4.)

The arms of the clip may be formed in one piece with the body, as shown in Figs. 1, 2,

and 3, or may be made separate and held in the hollow socket by metal poured in while melted, (see Figs. 4 and 5;) or the arms may be made fast to the body by any other suit able means.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a fifth-wheel having a lug or projection, L, formed with a tapering socket, and the perch-clip N, having conical body N, fitting the socket, and arms N the clip being free to turn in the socket.

2. The combination of a fifth-wheel having a lug or projection formed with a tapering socket, and the perch-clip formed integral with conical body N, fitting the socket, and arms N- N extending above and beneath the fifth-wheel.

3. The combination of the lower member, upper member having a rib Working in the lower member and formed with a projection, L, having a tapering socket, a perch-clip, N, having conical body N,fitting the socket, and arms N N above'and beneath the members, and a perch secured between the arms in advance of the members.

- MICHAEL A. PIGOTT.

In presence of GEO. H. KNIGHT, SAML. KNIGHT. 

